The present invention is related to equipment for monitoring health parameters such as breathing pattern, chest motion, snoring pattern, and oxygen saturation (SaO.sub.2) levels of a subject. Such parameters can be important diagnostic aids in detecting and diagnosing sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is characterized by an interruption in breathing that reduces SaO.sub.2 levels. A significant fraction of the population suffers from sleep apnea, and a need exists for an improved screening monitor to diagnose sleep apnea events accurately.
An important objective of this invention is to provide an improved sleep apnea monitor which can be adjusted to fit a specific subject in a reduced amount of time, which reliably measures the desired parameters (preferably in the home with no supervision), which is convenient to use and to wear by the subject, which requires no calibration or warm up time, and which reliably positions the individual sensors so as to insure repeatable results in subsequent monitoring periods.